


Unexpected Arrival

by TheAssassinLover



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Arriva isn't pleased, Children, F/M, Family, Fear, Fenris is also worried, Fenris is irritated, Hawke is apologetic, Mage, Mentions Miscarriage, Miscarriage, Miscarriage isn't Hawke's, Relief, Reunion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-22
Updated: 2018-03-22
Packaged: 2019-04-06 08:47:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14053281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheAssassinLover/pseuds/TheAssassinLover
Summary: Fenris arrives at Skyhold after Here Lies the Abyss. The additions he bring shock and horrify Arvia as she realizes she almost left Hawke in the fade.





	Unexpected Arrival

**Author's Note:**

> This is something I've wanted to post for a while but never got around to writing. Here it is now though. The Fenris and Hawke reunion we were all hoping for.

“So what was it like living in Kirkwall?” Ariva asked Hawke as they sat in her chambers, a bottle of wine set between them. After what happened in the fade, they both needed a drink and a moment to relax.

“Before or after the Qunari and mage crises?” Hawke asked with a humorous tone. She huffed a quiet laugh. “At first, it was honestly terrible. We were refugees, and there were so many of us that the guards weren’t letting anyone in. My mother had been certain her brother could get us in, but it turns out he was a drunk with a gambling addiction and had lost the entirety of their family’s fortune.” Hawke sighed. “I signed on with some smugglers. In exchange for working for a year, they helped my family into the city. We stayed with my uncle Gamlen. That’s also when I met Varric. After that we made our way into the deep roads where we found the red lyrium, the rest is history. Literally immortalized in Varric’s book.”

“That sounds like it was terrible, Hawke.” Ariva told her slightly concerned.

“It’s alright. In the end, we were able to get our estate back. Of course, my losses were far from over after that, but I still have my sister. And Fenris.” Hawke smiled.

Ah yes, Ariva had nearly forgotten about Hawke’s mysterious lover. She hadn’t said much about him past the fact that he existed. Ariva couldn’t help but wonder why. Instead, she changed the subject. “I’m glad we’re able to sit and talk like this. I feel terrible about Stroud though.” Ariva said looking down.

“There wasn’t much you could do, Inquisitor. Stroud wanted to redeem the wardens. I think he succeeded in that.” Hawke told her.

Ariva nodded solemnly before looking at her new friend. “Please don’t call me Inquisitor, Hawke. I much prefer my name.” She told her.

“Ah, I was starting to think you only enjoyed hearing it from a certain elven mage.” Hawke said with a knowing smirk. Ariva glanced away cheeks slightly red. “Don’t look so embarrassed Ariva. It’s pretty clear what’s going on there, nothing to be ashamed of.”

“I try to keep it out of the open. I have enough attention on me.” Ariva admitted.

“I very much understand that.” Hawke smiled at her.

Ariva was about to reply when a knock was heard on her door. “Inquisitor? I’m sorry to disturb you, but we have a bit of a situation.” A muffled voice said through the door. Ariva and Hawke looked at each other before heading down the stairs to open the door.

“What’s going on?” Ariva asked the messenger.

“There seems to be an elven man harassing Ser Pavas.” He told her. “Upon being approached by the Ser Pavas he started yelling in what I can only assume is Tevene.”

Hawke stiffened up a bit beside Ariva. “What does he look like?” She asked him.

“White hair, green eyes. Um, he was glowing blue.” The guard said, clearly fearing he sounded insane.

“Oh no.” Hawke whispered. “It’s Fenris.”

Ariva turned her head to look at her friend surprised. Suddenly she decided she needed to actually read Varric’s book. Somehow, she hadn’t known Fenris was an elf. “Well, we should probably go see what’s going on.” Ariva said moving forward. Hawke followed close behind.

As the two exited Skyhold’s doorway it was clear there was a commotion. A crowd of people had gathered, and guards had hands ready on their swords just in case.

Hawke was just surprised Fenris hadn’t lunged at the mage yet. Instead, he was holding the cloak he wore shut in a strangely possessive way. “Fenris!” She shouted getting his attention. Almost immediately the glow of his markings stopped.

“Crystal.” He acknowledged. “Why is there a magister here?” He practically growled.

“Dorian is a valued member of the inquisition and my companion.” Ariva defended. “He also happens to be my best friend.” She said crossing her arms.

“And who are you?” He asked looking at the staff on her back with suspicion.

“The Inquisitor and I suggest all of you disperse from here.” The crowd stared at her. “Now!” Everyone scrambled to get out of the way, no one wanting to get on her bad side. “Fenris.” She said. “I’m Ariva Lavellan, Hawke has mentioned you.” She told him. “What exactly happened here?”

“I noticed his markings and questioned him about them. I could tell they were lyrium. I did not intend to bring up such a sore subject.” Dorian told her. “My apologies.”

Ariva sighed. “Apologize to him Dorian, and then give us a moment if you would please.”

Dorian nodded, muttered a brief apology to Fenris and then headed toward the castle.

“Fenris, what are you doing here?” Hawke asked him. “And where are…”

“Mom!” Two voices suddenly rang out cutting off what Hawke was going to ask. Two boys about five years old ran through the gateway, immediately running toward Hawke. They were identical in every way, both with black hair and bright blue eyes. Eyes that matched Hawke’s perfectly.

“I told you two to wait.” Fenris sighed. “You’re too much like your mother.”

“Carver? Wesley? What in Thedas are you doing here?” She looked at Fenris. “You brought them with you?”

“They wanted to see their mother.” He told her sternly. “As did I.”

“Wait, where’s Emerald?” She asked him, eyes wide with worry.

Fenris stared for a moment before finally opening his cloak for the first time since they’d seen him. The arm that had not been holding the cloak shut was wrapped around a toddler, probably three, clinging to his hip. She remained silent and stared wide-eyed, her thumb in her mouth. Her white hair matched both of her parents, her eyes the same emerald as her father’s. Ariva assumed that was how she got her name.

“Hawke…” Ariva said slowly. Then she turned on her friend. “You’re a mother! Why didn’t you say something?” Ariva asked rather loudly.

“I didn’t exactly think it was something necessary to share.” She said defensively, even as she wrapped her arms around her sons. “It wasn’t pertinent to the mission.”

“Not pertinent to the...damn it, Hawke! I almost left you in the fade! Did you even think…” Ariva trailed off, taking a deep exasperated breath. “I never would have forgiven myself.” She told her.

“I knew what I was getting myself into.”

“Did they?” Ariva asked gesturing to her family. Hawke fell silent, answering her question without words. “Hawke, you have people who care deeply about you. Be sure to think of them.”

Hawke looked down. “I know.” She looked at Fenris. “I’m sorry.”

The elf simply set the little girl down, who immediately wobbled to her mother’s open arms, and took a rolled up paper from a pocket. He opened it and began reading. “Dear Fenris, I’m going off to see if there is anything I can do to help with the new crisis. Please take care of yourself and the children, and don’t try to follow me. I need you safe. Love, Crystal.” He said in a monotone voice. “You left in the middle of the night, leaving only a vague note behind. Maker’s breath, Crystal. Did you really think I wouldn’t go to find you? I was worried.” 

Ariva couldn’t help but realize why Hawke had made the joke about only wanting to hear her first name from one person. It seemed Fenris was the only one to call Hawke by her given name rather than just Hawke. Hawke's expression was one of remorse. “I’m so sorry. I just wanted to help, and I knew if I brought you with, you would try to keep me from danger.”

Fenris stepped toward her. “Of course I would. I can’t be a parent on my own, Hawke. I don’t know how.” Fenris sighed again, one of many in this conversation. “I need you. Nothing is worse than the thought of living without you.” He repeated the words he had said to her so long ago. His eyes now reflecting fear and sadness more than anything.

Hawke couldn't help but lean in to kiss him, making Ariva turn her head and the children make gagging noises. Then Hawke looked away from him, turning instead to her daughter that she had scooped into her arms. She smoothed Emerald’s hair as she spoke. “I should have told you. I was selfish, and I’m sorry for that.” She looked back at him again. “How did you find me?”

“The Inquisition is being talked about all through Thedas. I figured my best bet for a lead was here. It seems I had the right idea in mind.” He told her.

“Hawke,” Ariva spoke again. “Don’t take your family for granted. I almost had what you have once, and all of it was taken from me in but a moment. I don’t want to see that happen to anyone else.” She said sadly.

“What happened?” Hawke found herself asking before she could stop the words.

Ariva’s face twisted into an expression of pain and anger. “It was about nine years ago now, I was twenty-seven. I had gone for a walk with my soon-to-be bonded partner. We had...skipped certain customs. I was pregnant at the time, about five months.” Ariva sighed sadly. “Walking helped with the back pain, and we usually went daily. This time, however, we wandered upon a passing group of humans. Ones who had very poor views toward the dalish, and wanted to rid the world of the ‘savages’. They attacked us. We were armed only with a single dagger and my magic. Enough to fend off wild animals, not fully armed warriors. 

“They beat us. Brutally. Then they left us to die slow deaths, not bothering to finish the job. Our hunters found us later that night after we failed to return. We were long unconscious.” Ariva saw in Crystal’s eyes that she had an idea of where this was going. “I awoke three days later. My keeper was overjoyed. She thought I wouldn’t make it. I wasn’t unscathed though, as my once swollen stomach was now flat, a line of stitches running across it. At some point during my unconsciousness I had miscarried, and later that day I found out my lover was dead. My whole family, gone in an instant.” Ariva clenched her fists. “Don’t let yourself be taken from yours as mine was for me.”

Hawke looked at her, eyes watering with sorrow for her friend. “Ariva, I’m so sorry.”

“I miss him, and the child I never met. I just want it to serve as a warning to you. I’ve managed to find happiness here in the Inquisition.” Ariva told her, then she turned to Fenris. “You seem like a good man. See that she takes care of herself.”

Fenris nodded. “I intend to.”

“Now then, you aren’t about to spring anything else on me, are you? No more secrets?”

Hawke shook her head. “None.” She said with a small smile.

“Good, then how about we all go inside and relax.” She looked at Fenris. “No more trying to kill Dorian. He isn’t a Magister. I can assume you are from Tevinter, I can’t imagine what you’ve been through but won’t ask.” Then she looked at Hawke. “Can I please hold your daughter?”

Hawke laughed passing Emerald to her. “You know, she’s always the spoiled one.”

“Yeah, it isn’t fair.” One of her boys said. “She always gets the attention.”

Hawke set her hand on his head. “That’s because she's little, Carver. She needs to be looked out for. You and your brother can do that, right?”

“I guess.” He muttered. “What do you think Wesley?”

“I think we should watch her. We can be strong, like mom and dad.” The other twin replied.

“You two are strong, both of you. Just remember, no matter what all of you are special.” She looked at Carver. “And you need to sound less like your namesake. Greatness isn’t determined by power or attention. It’s determined by what you choose to do with those things, with what you have.”

“You’re a good mother Hawke. Your children are lucky to have you.” Ariva said as they walked toward the castle. Fenris followed with the two boys behind the girls.

“Wesley is a sweetheart who wants to be just like Fenris. A warrior. Carver is sneaky like me but is much like my brother for which he was named. My brother was always rather jealous of Bethany. It caused animosity so I worry.” Hawked looked at her daughter.

“I’m sure it will be fine Hawke. You’ve seen this before. You can work with it.” Ariva smiled at her.

“I hope you’re right.” She glanced at her boys over her shoulder. “I nearly fainted when I was told there were twins. I had Carver and thought I was done. Seems twins run in my family. Wesley was a surprise. He’s actually named after my friend Avaline’s late husband. He helped us escape Fereldan during the blight.”

“What about little Emerald here?” Ariva asked her.

“My daddy named me.” Spoke the girl. It was the first thing she had said. Ariva looked at her surprised.

Hawke laughed. “Yes, Fenris did name her. My parents named me Crystal because of my eyes, so he named her Emerald for hers.”

“Wanna see a trick?” The little girl asked Ariva.

“Sure, da’len.” She replied, her language coming to her without thought. The little girl didn’t question it, just held her hand up. Suddenly sparks rose from her hand. Ariva stared. “Hawke, she’s a…”

“I know,” Hawke told her. “Fenris and I both had mage siblings. It was pretty much guaranteed one of ours would be one. We’re trying to keep it quiet for now. Fenris wasn’t pleased, but he loves her. She’s a total daddy’s girl.”

Ariva more than understood. “I think I’m going to return to my chambers. I could use more wine.” She looked to Hawke. “You should spend time with your family. I’ll arrange a room for the little ones.”

Hawke nodded her agreement and took Emerald as she was handed to her. “I am sorry for hiding this.”

“No harm done, thankfully. Go on now. I’ll speak to you later.” Ariva watched the five walk off. Emerald waved at her over her mother’s shoulder. Ariva waved back. She really was a cutie.


End file.
